5 easy ways to improve your gut health

Along with gastroenterologist Dr. Rabia Topan and dietician Sophie Medlin, some guests visit a psychologist and immunologist, illustrating how closely linked mental well-being and immunity are to the gut. “Sometimes it’s not just dietary interventions that help, but holistic practices, like breathwork and hypnotherapy,” says Alana. This alone can help us begin to understand that the stress many of us experience every day can really impact our gut, and therefore our overall health.

Achieving a healthy gut microbiome doesn’t require extreme diets or expensive probiotic supplements; rather, it’s about consciously approaching your health and wellness routine and adding plenty of plants to your diet. “It’s also prioritizing your sleep — which really affects the gut — and dealing with stress,” says Lisa. “For us, originally, anything wellness was off-limits and a bit of a ‘gong bath’, and we just weren’t interested in that. The things you’ll learn from this program are accessible and affordable for everyone. the world. And that’s important.

After successfully altering the makeup of their own microbiomes with guidance from Professor Spector (more on that in the series), the pair share their best ways to improve your gut health now, here.

eat your fiber

“We talk about fiber a lot on the show – it’s like the bassist in a band that no one knows the name of, but it’s so important. Fiber not only bulks up your stool, it also feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Nine out of 10 of us don’t get enough.

Keep an eye on your stool

“We need to start breaking the poo taboo. If you have a problem with your poo, it’s your body’s way of yelling at you that there’s something wrong. On the show, we go over all aspects of the different types of stool, what to look for, what’s normal and when you should see your GP. »

Listen to your gut health

“None of us pay attention to our gut until we’re hungover or sick or have a problem. If you go to your GP and tell them something’s wrong not, it will ask you when you last went to the bathroom. We need to know these things, so tracking and logging is a great idea. Empower yourself with knowledge to help you change your behaviors.

Exercise

“Exercise helps with gut motility. Your microbes like you to move. There’s a study that took a representative sample of people and the only thing they changed was exercise. When they stopped exercise, their microbial diversity has reduced to baseline levels.The more you can move, the better their diversity – and your overall well-being.

Eat a variety of plants

“According to the teachings of the American Gut Project, we should eat 30 different plants a week. This includes not just vegetables, but also fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and legumes.” the rainbow” is the key – most of us will go to the supermarket and pick up the same six fruits and vegetables because we know what to do with them, but it’s about trying to choose something different every time. Can you mix and match, rather than batch cooking the same thing all week?”